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Aldhelm Booklet

The booklet is by Shellagh Wurr with illustrations by Revd Christine Gilbert. Copies can be obtained from Sarum College Bookshop, Salisbury; SPCK, Salisbury and 31 Pound Street, Warminster, BA12 8NL, for £3.50 plus 30p postage.

St Aldhelm - Miracle Worker

Mediaeval saints are often remembered for their miracles. William of Malmesbury recorded several miracles about St Aldhelm. William states that he does not like to believe in miracles unless there is some reason for believing them so he is careful to put forward the evidence he has for each of them.

The Miracle of the Beam

When Aldhelm was building St Mary's Church, in Malmesbury, the workmen prepared to roof it, using as supports several large beams which had been supplied at a great cost and brought from a distance. The beams had all been cut to size except one which was found to be too short. The workmen discovered the fact at the last minute just before it was to be hoisted into the space. No extra beam could be provided and the matter was reported to Aldhelm. Aldhelm, knowing how expensive it would be to get another beam, came and prayed, at the same time pulling the beam at each end. When measured, it was found to be the same length as the others. Aldhelm immediately concealed the miracle by joking with the workmen that they had made a mistake when measuring.

However, William of Malmesbury adds that there was no doubt that Aldhelm had performed a miracle because this beam was very special. During the reigns of Kings Alfred and Edward respectively, there were fires which destroyed the Abbey, but on both occasions that particular beam remained intact until it rotted away from age and decay.

The Miracle of the Church at Wareham

Aldhelm is said to have gone on a journey to Rome to visit the Pope in order to bring back special privileges for his monasteries, especially Malmesbury. He set off for Wareham from where he was to sail. While he was staying near Wareham, waiting for the wind to change for the voyage, he had a church built so that he could pray to God for a safe journey.

The masonry of this church was still standing when William of Malmesbury recorded this story. The roof, however, was gone, all but a small piece which projected over the altar and protected it from being defiled by birds. William reports that when a downpour was threatened, crowds of shepherds sheltered in this roofless ruin and, however fiercely the weather raged, not a drop of water ever fell within the walls of this church. The exact site of this church cannot be identified but it is thought, from William's description, to be in Corfe.

The Miracle of the Storm

In the year 705 Aldhelm was chosen to be the Bishop of Sherborne and went to Canterbury to be consecrated by the Archbishop. While he was there he heard that some ships from Gaul had put in at Dover and he went there to see if the mariners had brought anything which might be of use in his church.

The sailors had brought books, amongst other treasures. Aldhelm noticed a copy of the Bible among their wares and tried to bargain for it with the mariners. However, the vendors were not prepared to haggle and they beat him off and sailed a little way from the shore. Straight away a hurricane arose. William of Malmesbury describes it vividly. The sailors realised that this was their punishment for the way they had treated Aldhelm. They cried to him for help and promised that they would never behave in such a way again. The Bishop readily forgave them and stilled the storm with the sign of the cross. The sailors begged Aldhelm to take the book for nothing but he insisted on giving them a price halfway between what they had originally asked and what he intended to give.

William reports that this ancient Bible was still to be seen in Malmesbury Abbey when he was writing.

St Aldhelm - Writer and Riddle-Maker

Aldhelm was an educated and gifted man. He could read and write in Latin and in Greek. He was a talented musician and there are stories told of how he would go amongst those who did not attend church and sing all sorts of secular and comic songs. Crowds would gather around to listen and he would then sing hymns and Christian songs until the people were persuaded to go to church.

However, his songs have not survived and it is through his writings that we learn about him. He wrote numerous letters, books and poems and also produced a series of riddles.

The word riddle comes from the old English rædan, to advise or explain. A riddle teaches by presenting old things in new ways. There are three surviving collections of riddles in Latin and the earliest is ascribed to Aldhelm. It contains one hundred riddles.

The following selection of Aldhelm's riddles was translated from the Latin by WB Wildman in his book Life of St Ealdhelm (1905).

Forth from the fruitful turf I spring unsown,
My head gleams yellow with its shining flower;
At eve I shut, at sunrise ope again;
Hence the wise Greeks have given my name to me.

Answer: A sunflower

Though the war trumpet bray with hollow brass,
The lutes throb sweetly and the bugles call,
My inward parts give forth a hundred notes,
And, when I roar, men hear no other sound.

Answer: An organ

Scarce lose the sight of eyes in darkest caves,
For hated foes, who waste the heaps of corn,
I silently plan the crafty means of death.
On hunting bound I search the wild things' dens.
Not I with dogs will hunt the flying crowds,
For barking dogs wage cruel wars on me;
To hated race it is I owe my name.

Answer: A cat

From cracks of stone I came in molten flood,
While flames were battering the rocky core,
And the loud-roaring furnace brightly glowed.
Now clear as ice am I, capricious too,
And very brittle; men may break my neck,
Taking my slippery body in their hands.
Yet wits I alter, when I kiss men's lips,
And fill their cheeks with Bacchic sweets, and make
Their tottering footsteps bring them to the ground.

Answer: A drinking glass

Of willow wood and tough bull-hide am I,
And I can stand the shrewdest knocks of war;
With my own frame I guard my warrior's frame
And shield him from death's grip. Who like myself
Has felt as oft the deadly blows of war
And known as many wounds, a soldier bold?

Answer: A shield

My coat is black and made of wrinkled bark,
And yet within I have a marrow white;
At royal dinners, in the soup and stews
And other meats I play a proper part.
But still no virtue would you find in me,
Were not my inside pounded very fine.

Answer: Pepper

High on the cliffs that front the thunderous seas,
While the salt surf goes whistling down the breeze,
Up reared was I, solid in mighty mass,
To show the seaways to the ships that pass.
I never stirred with oars the watery plain,
I never ploughed with sinuous share the main,
And yet, by signal from my lofty scaur
I guide the wave tossed wanderers to the shore;
While murky clouds blot out the stars of night.
Flaming afar I stand a tower of light.

Answer: A lighthouse.
(St Aldhelm's Head may have had one in the old days)

High, towards the clouds of heaven, at times I swell,
And should you take the head, my body too
Were gone; but if a heavy head me press,
Deep-sinking, half my bulk I seem to lose.

Answer: A pillow

Reproduced with permission from Sheelagh Wurr. Copies of the booklet can be obtained from the Sarum College Bookshop, Salisbury; SPCK, Salisbury and 31 Pound Street, Warminster, BA12 8NL for £3.50 plus 30p postage.


Aldhelm Booklet The booklet is by Shellagh Wurr with illustrations by Revd Christine Gilbert. Copies can be obtained from Sarum College Bookshop, Salisbury; SPCK, Salisbury and 31 Pound Street, Warminster, BA12 8NL, for £3.50 plus 30p postage. St Aldhelm - Miracle Worker Mediaeval saints are often remembered for their miracles. William of Malmesbury recorded several miracles about St Aldhelm. William states that he does not like to believe in miracles unless there is some reason for believing them so he is careful to put forward the evidence he has for each of them. The Miracle of the Beam When Aldhelm was building St Mary's Church, in Malmesbury, the workmen prepared to roof it, using as supports several large beams which had been supplied at a great cost and brought from a distance. The beams had all been cut to size except one which was found to be too short. The workmen discovered the fact at the last minute just before it was to be hoisted into the space. No extra beam could be provided and the matter was reported to Aldhelm. Aldhelm, knowing how expensive it would be to get another beam, came and prayed, at the same time pulling the beam at each end. When measured, it was found to be the same length as the others. Aldhelm immediately concealed the miracle by joking with the workmen that they had made a mistake when measuring. However, William of Malmesbury adds that there was no doubt that Aldhelm had performed a miracle because this beam was very special. During the reigns of Kings Alfred and Edward respectively, there were fires which destroyed the Abbey, but on both occasions that particular beam remained intact until it rotted away from age and decay. The Miracle of the Church at Wareham Aldhelm is said to have gone on a journey to Rome to visit the Pope in order to bring back special privileges for his monasteries, especially Malmesbury. He set off for Wareham from where he was to sail. While he was staying near Wareham, waiting for the wind to change for the voyage, he had a church built so that he could pray to God for a safe journey. The masonry of this church was still standing when William of Malmesbury recorded this story. The roof, however, was gone, all but a small piece which projected over the altar and protected it from being defiled by birds. William reports that when a downpour was threatened, crowds of shepherds sheltered in this roofless ruin and, however fiercely the weather raged, not a drop of water ever fell within the walls of this church. The exact site of this church cannot be identified but it is thought, from William's description, to be in Corfe. The Miracle of the Storm In the year 705 Aldhelm was chosen to be the Bishop of Sherborne and went to Canterbury to be consecrated by the Archbishop. While he was there he heard that some ships from Gaul had put in at Dover and he went there to see if the mariners had brought anything which might be of use in his church. The sailors had brought books, amongst other treasures. Aldhelm noticed a copy of the Bible among their wares and tried to bargain for it with the mariners. However, the vendors were not prepared to haggle and they beat him off and sailed a little way from the shore. Straight away a hurricane arose. William of Malmesbury describes it vividly. The sailors realised that this was their punishment for the way they had treated Aldhelm. They cried to him for help and promised that they would never behave in such a way again. The Bishop readily forgave them and stilled the storm with the sign of the cross. The sailors begged Aldhelm to take the book for nothing but he insisted on giving them a price halfway between what they had originally asked and what he intended to give. William reports that this ancient Bible was still to be seen in Malmesbury Abbey when he was writing. St Aldhelm - Writer and Riddle-Maker Aldhelm was an educated and gifted man. He could read and write in Latin and in Greek. He was a talented musician and there are stories told of how he would go amongst those who did not attend church and sing all sorts of secular and comic songs. Crowds would gather around to listen and he would then sing hymns and Christian songs until the people were persuaded to go to church. However, his songs have not survived and it is through his writings that we learn about him. He wrote numerous letters, books and poems and also produced a series of riddles. The word riddle comes from the old English rædan, to advise or explain. A riddle teaches by presenting old things in new ways. There are three surviving collections of riddles in Latin and the earliest is ascribed to Aldhelm. It contains one hundred riddles. The following selection of Aldhelm's riddles was translated from the Latin by WB Wildman in his book Life of St Ealdhelm (1905). Forth from the fruitful turf I spring unsown, My head gleams yellow with its shining flower; At eve I shut, at sunrise ope again; Hence the wise Greeks have given my name to me. Answer: A sunflower Though the war trumpet bray with hollow brass, The lutes throb sweetly and the bugles call, My inward parts give forth a hundred notes, And, when I roar, men hear no other sound. Answer: An organ Scarce lose the sight of eyes in darkest caves, For hated foes, who waste the heaps of corn, I silently plan the crafty means of death. On hunting bound I search the wild things' dens. Not I with dogs will hunt the flying crowds, For barking dogs wage cruel wars on me; To hated race it is I owe my name. Answer: A cat From cracks of stone I came in molten flood, While flames were battering the rocky core, And the loud-roaring furnace brightly glowed. Now clear as ice am I, capricious too, And very brittle; men may break my neck, Taking my slippery body in their hands. Yet wits I alter, when I kiss men's lips, And fill their cheeks with Bacchic sweets, and make Their tottering footsteps bring them to the ground. Answer: A drinking glass Of willow wood and tough bull-hide am I, And I can stand the shrewdest knocks of war; With my own frame I guard my warrior's frame And shield him from death's grip. Who like myself Has felt as oft the deadly blows of war And known as many wounds, a soldier bold? Answer: A shield My coat is black and made of wrinkled bark, And yet within I have a marrow white; At royal dinners, in the soup and stews And other meats I play a proper part. But still no virtue would you find in me, Were not my inside pounded very fine. Answer: Pepper High on the cliffs that front the thunderous seas, While the salt surf goes whistling down the breeze, Up reared was I, solid in mighty mass, To show the seaways to the ships that pass. I never stirred with oars the watery plain, I never ploughed with sinuous share the main, And yet, by signal from my lofty scaur I guide the wave tossed wanderers to the shore; While murky clouds blot out the stars of night. Flaming afar I stand a tower of light. Answer: A lighthouse. (St Aldhelm's Head may have had one in the old days) High, towards the clouds of heaven, at times I swell, And should you take the head, my body too Were gone; but if a heavy head me press, Deep-sinking, half my bulk I seem to lose. Answer: A pillow Reproduced with permission from Sheelagh Wurr. Copies of the booklet can be obtained from the Sarum College Bookshop, Salisbury; SPCK, Salisbury and 31 Pound Street, Warminster, BA12 8NL for £3.50 plus 30p postage.
The Diocesan Office, Church House, Crane Street, Salisbury, SP1 2QB Tel: 01722 411955 www.TheAldhelmWay.org.uk